RtR Blog Hop: Very Superstitious

I always get asked why I don't change Beefheart's name. It's really a horrible name, but I just can't make myself do it. I was told that it is bad luck to change a horse's name when I was a little kid and that belief just kind of stuck. Weird, I know. Also, an interesting topic for a blog hop. I think (take pity on me, it's my first one).

What superstitions do you have when it comes to your horses, riding, and/or showing? Do you have any good luck items/charms? 

When it comes to racing, I'm a freak about what I will or won't wear.

Lucky polo. I have it in three colors.

I have about ten shirts that I will put on for race days. I won't wear anything twice into the paddock if it proved to be bad luck the first time. I don't put perfume on when we have a horse in. I have lucky/unlucky jewelry too.

Grandma's Pearls- Lucky

Mother of pearl, Onyx, and turquoise inlaid Thunderbird necklace- Lucky

Unlucky ring and bracelet

The same goes for shoes and accesories.

Lucky sunglasses

Huh. It didn't seem THAT crazy until I put it into words!

I have a bracelet (cuff) that I work, ride, and show in. I never take it off unless it's for a formal occasion (like when I was a bridesmaid). My dad had his friend, who is a very good silversmith, make it for me.

It has one of my dad's brands on it, which was also the brand that my extremely awesome childhood horse donned. I'm not necessarily sure the bracelet is lucky, but it's not bad luck and means a lot to me. Even if it is starting to look pretty worn.

For horse shows, my fortune is dependant upon my Miku show shirt

I have it in blue and will probably never get rid of it.

and my white/pink SSG Breast Cancer awareness gloves.

Other than that, the only other thing is that I don't eat until after my first class is over. This really sucks when my first ride isn't until the afternoon.

So, I'm really interested in hearing about your crazy strange superstitions too!

get the InLinkz code

The core of the problem-June goals

It's a little late, but I need to write down goals to keep me focused and disciplined on my riding. Knowing how to fix myself doesn't work if I don't use it. My horses have been good lately and I'm really proud of them. My riding is another story.





My main problem and how to fix it:

 I'm riding in a forked seat.

  

Why: The first reason is because I hurt. This is putting me into a position where I'm focusing on avoiding pain instead of riding correctly, carrying myself over the saddle instead of dropping my weight fully onto my seat bones and into the saddle. This isn't a good excuse, so I can just start dealing and ride right no matter how much it hurts.

The second reason is my core has gotten weak. I used to have a really nice long leg in the saddle. I HATE CHAIR SEATS WITH A PASSION and I've worked very hard to make sure I don't have one. I'm not to that point yet, but too close for comfort. Avoiding that involves developing a strong core.

The fix:
A) Stretch my hips everytime I get on by moving my seat forward in the saddle, put my legs up over the knee rolls, then putting my legs back down underneath me, while keeping my seat bones on the saddle. I had Ty help me stretch them back today. This hurts like hell initially (hello cramping glutes and hips), but it worked well for me in the past and really does help.



B) Stay sitting back on my seat bones without allowing my legs to come up/forward or hallowing my back.

C) Keep my shoulders relaxed and back. I once had a clinician tell me to think about trying to keep my sternum behind my pelvis and that actually helped quite a bit. Doing this actually puts your sternum behind the points of your hips, not behind your entire pelvis, but you get the idea.

D) 30 day core challenge- I haven't found any on-line that includes all of the exercises I want so I'm doing my own. It will include planks, side-planks, various crunches, seals, and agilities (assuming I can find somewhere I can do them where the whole racetrack won't see me and think I've lost my mind) among other exercises. Most of the excercises will come from what I learned in track and basketball. I'll keep track of what I do and put it in a post. I don't have time for the gym, so this may become a trial and error DIY.



E) Lots of stretching- Pretty much all of my muscles are giant knots and my flexibility sucks.

F) Eat healthier- I've already been doing decent with this since I started cooking instead of us eating out all of the time, but I could still do better.

*My current cheat is the Lindt Dark Chocolate Orange bar. One bar lasts me several days, so maybe it isn't all that bad? Oh yeah, and about a six pack of beer per week. I can cut down on the beer, but the chocolate stays damn it!



What I need to remember while riding:

*Don't let my frustration with myself transfer to the horses

*Be patient, focus on improvment instead of perfection.

*I have no one to please but myself and I'm not on any specific time schedule, so stop stressing over riding.

Why I need to work harder:

Because they deserve better...

I know I should have goals for the horses too, it's just that I'm going to have to fix myself before they can move on. So, June is going to be pretty much all about me. I'm selfish like that.

The Beefs challenge

I have Beefs and Indy at the track right now. I wanted to board them where I boarded last year, but between having to buy our new (to us) fifth wheel and the cost of moving thirteen horses, paying $1,400.00/month in boarding isn't happening right now. Not if I want to take lessons and try to show. I'm okay with that. There are plenty of places to ride on the backside. I have friends to ride with. There's a hill to do hill work.

I do love our new "house" though. (Yes, we live like Gypsies.) 

Beefs is always a little tougher when he's at a track, but it's usually manageable. He had been pretty good, slightly distracted and tense, but overall not bad. That is until my dumb ass decided to ride him after the races one day.

I wasn't in the best mood and was thinking that maybe riding wasn't the best idea. Then I figured it would cheer me up, get my mind off of everything else. Well, it got my mind off of everything else when I became more worried about dying than having shitty racing luck. The cheering me up part, not so much.

When I got on Beefs, he mostly just wanted to go. He speed walked to M's barn and we had to walk circles while she finished getting her horse ready because he wouldn't stand still. Normally, I would make him stand there and act like a gentleman, but it would have turned into a fight if I had. One of those pick your battles type of things.

Beefimeus ADD and tension. Yeah, it isn't pretty when he's like that.

M got on and we headed to where we usually ride. Beefs was really wanting to go now. He wasn't getting stupid, just being super energetic at this point. After walking around, M and I decided that the footing wasn't good enough to ride in due to all of the rain. We headed to find a better spot. Beefs began getting more tense. M and I found a spot that looked good enough to at least trot around. Wherein my sweet little horse turned into a total jack ass.

Beefs decided that loping sideways alternating between putting his head straight in the air and then trying to get it down between his legs seemed like a lot better idea than trotting. The footing sucked, we had no control, and I finally just gave up. I was getting pissed and we weren't in a controlled enough environment for me to get after him (wide open area with pavement around). The last thing I wanted to do was a) get run off with or b) him get me off and run off without a rider through the mud and over the pavement. A hospital or vet bill was just what I needed to top my day off. So I did what I hate most, I got off. Oh, the shame.

When I got off, he was still being psycho so I popped him on the neck. Not hard, just enough to get his attention. It worked. He was really focused on me as he ran backwards thirty feet dragging me. Slightly overdramatic, don't you think? I don't know how I didn't turn him loose or fall on my face, other than the vision of him sliding on his side on the pavement kept popping into my head . I've seen it and the damage it causes too many times to let him get loose.

After that he chilled enough for me to watch M finish her ride and then we started to head back to the barn; M riding, me taking the walk of shame. The thought of leading him back to the barn really pissed me off, so I got back on and rode him the rest of the way. We made it back without dying. I considered that as at least one accomplishment on the day.

I got back to the barn, face bright red, grumpy as hell. Ty looked at me, and knowing the look on my face, asked how my ride was. At this point the entire day had just built up and I started crying. A full sentence didn't work, so I rambled out words like idiot, psycho, crack head, combined with a bunch of adjectives that would probably make my mom want to beat me for saying.

I jumped off and kept rambling. Ty didn't really say anything, went and grabbed a buggy whip and got on Beefs. No, he didn't beat the hell out of him. Yes, he did get his attention. Beefs never did relax, but Ty at least got him somewhat focused and steerable. I'm obviously grateful for Ty getting on him and being able to get Beefs listening again. However, it didn't do much to help my pride. Double shame.

Ty came back and said that I can't ride Beefs after the races. Not meaning I'm not allowed, just that it's a really stupid idea. Yeah...that's probably a good point.

 My next ride on Beefs was really good and I was back to loving the little dude. Being at the track and doing dressage is tough for him. He HATES being in a stall all day. It's hard for him to relax and focus. He can do it, but it takes a lot more patience and thinking on my part. I have to ride better to get good work from him. I have to be tactful, smart, and more disciplined to get him working correctly. In the long run, it's good for both of us. Beefs is awesome when he isn't at the track and he's great at shows, new places, etc. However, if I can get him to do things right at the track, I can get him to do about anything, anywhere well. So, life goes on and we'll just keep working.

Rest in Peace Maya Angelou

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

The free bird leaps on the back of the wind and floats downstream till the current ends and dips his wings in the orange sun rays and dares to claim the sky. But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage can seldom see through his bars of rage his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing. The caged bird sings with fearful trill of the things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom The free bird thinks of another breeze and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn and he names the sky his own. But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom.

Maya Angelou 1928-2014

Getting back in the swing of things

Normally I absolutely love getting to Denver, and I am really glad to be back, but the weather has sucked for the most part. Fortunately, the last couple of days have been pretty nice and sort of made up for it.

The day after we got to Denver:

Brrrrr....

After that it was cold, then decent weather, then rain, then three straight afternoons of this:

Tornado watches, warnings, and sirens. I accidentally deleted the original video, you can watch it here http://instagram.com/p/oPC-tPs1Xl/

So of course it rained more, but between storms and on the occasional good days I did manage to get some riding in.

 Me and V up on the hill

 Me and my new riding buddy, M. She's awesome!

Beefs hanging in the sun after his ride

 Me and Beefs

 Love my GunGun

 Track girls

The first weekend of racing sucked. So much weird shit happened that I honestly felt like we were cursed. Oh well, I guess that's horse racing. Though it usually isn't this weird.